000
FXUS65 KPIH 132040
AFDPIH
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pocatello ID
140 PM MST Wed Dec 13 2017
.SHORT TERM...Tonight through Saturday. Satellite imagery was
highlighting a modest disturbance shearing SE through the region
this afternoon. Radar returns suggest the leading portion of the
disturbance was already working into the SE mountains with a moist
NW flow expected over the area through the early evening hours. Have
continued a high probability of snowfall over the SE highlands early
this evening allowing things to diminish rapidly after 8PM. As skies
clear partially tonight, I am a bit concerned that we may develop
dense fog within the valleys. Not seeing a huge injection of
moisture into the lower layers of the Snake River Plain at this
point so we will hold off on any advisories for now and advise
following shift of concerns. Upper ridge amplifies along the coast
late tonight and Thursday keeping valley inversions going. The next
Pacific disturbance shears inland Friday night and continues through
Saturday morning before the trough axis shifts SE of the area
Saturday evening ushering in some drying. Storm total snowfall from
this system is expected to range less than an inch in the Snake
Plain, 1-3" in the CNTRL mountains, and upwards of 3-6" over the ERN
mountains. Not enough at this point to warrant any highlights. There
may be enough mixing with this system to temporarily break down the
inversion Saturday but the ridge rebounds along the coast Sunday and
we may very well find ourselves right back in the thick of it. Looks
like we are transitioning into an active flow regime with waves
breaking over the west coast ridge and thus have begun to trend more
purposefully towards statistical guidance. Huston
.LONG TERM...Saturday evening through Wednesday...Long term forecast
models have not been consistent run-to-run regarding the timing of
the next several weather systems. As it stands now, snow showers
will be tapering off Saturday evening in Eastern Idaho behind the
passage of an upper trough with north to northwest flow behind it.
Much colder morning temperatures are expected for Sunday and Monday
mornings now, with single digit to temperatures in the teens each
morning. The shortwave that was progressing southeastward through
the state Tuesday is showing less and less emphasis attm, with
little impacts to SE Idaho. Potentially another weather system will
arrive in the middle portion of the week. NP/MH
&&
.AVIATION...Some patchy areas of fog linger early this afternoon;
with some weak snow showers also possible through the early evening
hours as well at PIH, IDA and DIJ. There remains potential for fog
redevelopment allowing for IFR/LIFR ceilings/visibility across BYI,
PIH and IDA tonight once again under light winds and the inversions
in place. NP/MH
&&
.AIR STAGNATION...Inversions continue to hold and reduce air
quality, particularly for Franklin County where an Air Quality Alter
remains in effect. Degraded Air Quality is expected to continue
through early Friday with possible improvements late Friday
afternoon into Saturday. Huston
&&
.PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None.
&&
$$